Brie Austin

What’s Next in Trump’s America?

There is no doubt that the U.S. has gone through a dramatic shift since the election of Donald J. Trump. But, the truth is that shift began with the rise of the Tea Party during the Obama administration.

Some will argue for the better, others for the worse.

Regardless of what you think of Trump the man, Trump the president has generated a lot of controversies.

With his recent acquittal in the impeachment Senate trial, Trump has certainly been emboldened to do as he pleases. He knows that as long as his base remains solid, the GOP Senate majority — and Fox News — will not only have his back, but also work to convince the rest of the country that he should have been acquitted. The only decent was senator Mitt Romney, who voted yes to remove him; this was based on a passionate speech he gave on the Senate floor explaining his reasons.

While his supporters and allies have argued for months “No Quid Pro Quo,” many Republican senators have since conceded that the Democrats in fact proved their case; that President Trump did do what he was accused of.

Many will focus on the outcome of the outcome. but the real question is what happens next. In an article on the political psychologist Dr. Bart Rossi site, there is an article that makes the case that what’s next isn’t good.

We’ve told nations around the world to live by the rule of law. To refrain from using political positions of power to attack the opposition.

The real issue in the wake of this farce is not how it affects us, but the signal it sends around the world. This used to be the type of behavior we denounced committed by African dictators or authoritarian regimes. Now, a slice of Americans celebrates it.

What we’ve just said to the world — for which the U.S.A. has always been a beacon of light run by the rule of law and counterweight to such regimes –, is if you lie, cheat, or steal to win, and have enough allies to help you escape accountability for it, it’s OK.

Essentially, we just did what we’ve told Ukraine not to do. Exactly what Zelensky ran against, and very likely why he resisted involvement in Trump’s coordinated scheme to pressure him to participate.

Only time will tell. Regardless of the arguments being made about Trump’s policies on energy, the environment, trade, his character, and other concerns, there is a bigger question about how the country as a whole, how our democratic institutions will be perceived moving forward.

About Brie Austin

Co-author of I'd Do It Again, he is a columnist/reporter for a variety of magazines in the areas of music, lifestyle, nightlife, travel and business. He also writes business documents and creates copy for websites.